Gatwick Airport CEO ‘confident’ Government will back second runway

The CEO of Gatwick Airport is ‘confident’ the Government will choose to expand his airport despite The Airport Commission’s recommendations for Heathrow.

Sir Howard Davies, chairman of the Commission, today (Wedenesday July 1) said: “At the end of this extensive work programme our conclusions are clear and unanimous: the best answer is to expand Heathrow’s capacity through a new Northwest Runway.

“The Gatwick scheme is feasible, but the additional capacity would be more focused on short-haul intra-European routes and the economic benefits considerably smaller.”

CEO Stewart Wingate said: “Gatwick is still very much in the race. The Commission’s report makes clear that expansion at Gatwick is deliverable.

“It is for the Commission to make a recommendation but it is of course for the Government to decide. So we now enter the most important stage of the process.

“We are confident that when the Government makes that decision they will choose Gatwick as the only deliverable option.”